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Diwali party invitation wording and ideas

By Nimanto · · 5 min read

The short answer

A Diwali party invitation opens with a greeting such as Happy Diwali or Shubh Deepavali, then gives the date, the puja time if you are holding one, when dinner is served, the address and a reply date. Add a line on dress, food and sparklers, and a warm word for guests celebrating for the first time.

What should a Diwali invitation include?

Give the date and address, then the timings in order: the puja, if you are holding one, then dinner and anything after it, such as sparklers or cards. Add dress, a reply date and whether children are welcome. Guests often have several Diwali parties in one week, so clear times help them plan.

  • Puja: many families hold Lakshmi puja at a time taken from the calendar or a priest. Say whether guests are welcome to join or should arrive after it.
  • Dinner: when it is served, and whether it is vegetarian.
  • Dress: “Indian wear welcome” or simply “festive”.
  • Sparklers and fireworks: say if there will be any, and check local rules first, since many towns limit them.
  • Children: welcome or adults only, and whether there is something for them to do.

Which Diwali greetings can you use on an invitation?

“Happy Diwali” works for every guest. “Shubh Deepavali” or “Shubh Deepawali” means an auspicious Diwali and suits a more traditional card. Families who speak a regional language often use their own greeting. Choose one and put it at the top; a single greeting reads warmer than three.

  • Happy Diwali, or Happy Deepavali, the name used across South India.
  • Shubh Deepavali or Shubh Deepawali, in Hindi.
  • Deepavali Nalvazhthukkal, in Tamil, and Deepavali Shubhakankshalu, in Telugu.
  • Saal Mubarak, for Gujarati families marking the new year the day after Diwali.

Sikh families mark Bandi Chhor Divas at the same time, and Jain families mark Diwali as the day of Mahavira’s nirvana. For a mixed guest list, a line such as “Wishing you light and joy this festive season” suits everyone.

How do you invite non-Indian friends to a Diwali party?

Invite them as warmly as anyone else, and add a line or two answering what a first-time guest wonders: what Diwali is, what to wear, whether to bring anything, and whether they can watch the puja. Most people are glad to be told, and it takes the worry out of arriving.

  • The festival: Diwali is the festival of lights, celebrating the victory of light over darkness.
  • Dress: Indian clothes are welcome but never expected; something bright or festive is perfect.
  • Bringing something: sweets, flowers or nothing at all. Many hosts say “just yourselves”.
  • Shoes: if the puja is at home, guests usually take their shoes off.
  • Food: say if it is vegetarian, and whether there will be alcohol.

Diwali is the festival of lights, and we would love you to celebrate it with us. Come in anything bright and festive; Indian wear is welcome but not needed. There will be a short puja at 7 pm that you are welcome to watch, then dinner and sparklers in the garden.

How do you word an office Diwali party invitation?

Keep it inclusive and practical: a short line on what Diwali is, the time and place, the food, and that festive or Indian dress is welcome but optional. Mention vegetarian and alcohol-free choices, and leave out any religious ceremony unless colleagues have asked for one and joining in is clearly optional.

Join the team for our Diwali celebration, the festival of lights, on Thursday from 4 to 6 pm in the fifth-floor lounge. There will be sweets, a vegetarian buffet and a rangoli you can help finish. Wear something bright if you like.

When should you send Diwali invitations?

Send them two to three weeks ahead, and earlier for a weekend close to the festival, when many families have several parties to attend. Diwali follows the Hindu lunar calendar, so its date moves every year and usually falls in October or November. Check this year’s date and puja time before fixing yours.

  • Diwali itself is often spent with family, so many parties for friends are held on the weekend before or after.
  • If you give a puja time, take it from this year’s calendar or your priest, never from last year’s invitation.

Diwali invitation wording samples

Shubh Deepavali. The Mehta family invites you to an evening of lights, Lakshmi puja and dinner on Saturday. Puja at 6:30 pm, dinner from 7:30 pm. Please reply by Monday.

Happy Diwali. Join us for diyas, dinner and a little card playing on Saturday from 7 pm at 15 Oak Court. Kids welcome; sparklers at 8.

Light a diya with us. Our first Diwali in the new house: dinner, sweets and rangoli on Sunday from 6 pm. Bring the whole family.

Deepavali Nalvazhthukkal. Join us on Deepavali morning for sweets, coffee and crackers from 9 am.

Sending a Diwali invitation on Nimanto

Diwali designs on Nimanto play music once the envelope opens, with effects such as lights and sparkle over the invitation; see envelopes and effects. Designs with a schedule can list the puja and dinner, each with its own time.

Guests reply on the invitation with how many are coming and any dietary notes; see what guests are asked.

Questions people ask

What do you write on a Diwali invitation?

Open with a greeting such as Happy Diwali or Shubh Deepavali, then give the date, the address, the puja time if there is one, when dinner is served and a reply date. Add a line on dress, food and sparklers. For friends new to the festival, one sentence on what Diwali is helps.

What should guests wear to a Diwali party?

Indian clothes such as a kurta, a saree or a lehenga are common, but bright, festive clothes are just as welcome, and hosts rarely expect guests to own Indian wear. Some families avoid black for festivals, so colour is a safe choice. If the puja is at home, guests usually remove their shoes.

What do you bring to a Diwali party?

A box of Indian sweets (mithai), dry fruits, flowers, candles or a small decorative diya are all traditional gifts, and many hosts say no gift is needed at all. If you are unsure about alcohol, choose sweets instead, since some families keep the festival alcohol-free, especially when there is a puja.

When is Diwali each year?

Diwali follows the Hindu lunar calendar, so its date changes every year. The main day falls on a new-moon night, usually in October or November, and in many families the celebrations run over about five days. Check a current calendar before you fix your party date or a puja time.